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Summary List of stories Phase II Night: Ashes, Metal, And Corruption << chapter 57 Chapter 58 of 75 Growing Up Is Hard To Do chapter 59 >> << previous scene Scene 2 of 2 next scene >> Location Participants Time Summary Prologue | Phase I | Phase II | Epilogue 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 Text A few hours later, Antares was smiling despite himself, trying his best to cover his mouth with his hooves as Avalon grumbled grouchily away, buzzing angrily around the clubhouse they often all hung out in. It was old – or at least held the illusion of being quite old, since Luna had once told Antares the Nibelung had actually rebuilt Equestria about a decade back – and it sat in a large, ancient apple tree in one of the far orchards of Sweet Apple Acres, and Avalon had long ago dubbed it their official base of operations for her, Antares, and Meadowlark when she could stand to be around her. Rustproof was up here too, but he was only sitting complacently on a large cushion in the corner, pacifier in his mouth and his eyes bright, diaper on his rear as Meadowlark kept herself entertained by braiding his mane. "It just ain't fair! Meadowlark, why ain't you pissed?" "Avalon, you're going to get in trouble again using all those bad words." Meadowlark huffed, covering Rustproof's ears as the toddler simply peered back and forth around the interior of the clubhouse. He wasn't up here as often as the other kids... mostly because Meadowlark had to carry him up into the treehouse, since Rustproof couldn't quite climb the ladder, and Meadowlark was both a little lazy and a little clumsy when it came to flying. "And so what? It's just a cutie mark, I don't see what's such a big deal about getting one." Avalon stared at her incredulously, jaw working slowly before she ground her teeth loudly together, then shouted: "It's like the most important thing ever to a pony!" "Dad says that cutie marks aren't that important." Antares began, and then he winced when Avalon buzzed down to him and glared into his eyes, making him flinch away awkwardly. "Well, that's what he says!" "Your dad's crazy, though. Your mom is even worse. Ugh, you get everything!" Avalon groaned and flew up to the ceiling, banging her head into it with a sigh. "Your aunt is the Baroness and you got Twilight Sparkle for a nanny, teaching you like... spells and magic, you got wings and a horn and you're... you're a jerk, Antares." Antares only smiled up at Avalon, however, then he winced when Meadowlark singsonged teasingly: "Avalon is jealous, 'cause she's just a Pegasus, working forever on her family farm." "Shut up, Meadowlark. And you're just a Pegasus too!" Avalon groaned, dropping from the ceiling to land with a loud bang on the floor, and Rustproof giggled and clapped happily before Avalon glowered moodily at the two year old: she was actually only little larger than he was, with her so small and him so big for his age. "You're stupid." "No, you're stupid!" Meadowlark retorted, and then she added cheerfully: "And I'm happy just being a Pegasus, too. I'm happy as long as I can sing." Rustproof burbled to add something to the conversation, and then he flopped back against Meadowlark as Avalon looked moodily over at them. Then the five year old sighed and glared at Antares. "I'm getting my cutie mark next." "Ava, you know it was a fluke!" Antares said desperately, and then he added: "And you don't even know what-" "Hey, I know what I'm great at, my talent is flying, and faster than fast!" Avalon stomped her hooves aggressively, glaring at him, and Antares winced back a bit. "So I'm going to just keep flying faster and faster until I get my cutie mark. Simple." With that, Avalon leapt back into the air, hovering easily and crossing her forelegs as she glowered, and Antares looked at her for a few awkward moments before Meadowlark said cheerfully: "I think I'm going to try and get my cutie mark before you then, Avalon." "My Dad got his cutie mark first in his class! Antares doesn't count, his mom's always had her cutie mark and his dad..." Avalon paused and frowned, looking curiously over at the colt. "When did your dad get his cutie mark?" The unicorn shrugged as he flapped his leathery wings awkwardly once, and then he shook his head and said finally: "I dunno. Dad says he got it because somepony who really helped him noticed his talent for writing but... he never really talks about that, or the past or anything." "Yeah, same here." Avalon frowned, hovering moodily before she asked finally: "Do you think like. When ponies become parents, we're supposed to forget about our own parents?" Meadowlark only snorted at this, however, and then she sang cheerfully: "You just don't know anything about your own parents!" Both of the older foals glared at her, and Rustproof only burbled again, looking back and forth before Meadowlark winked over at the foals. "But I do! And I'll tell you both, but you gotta both earn it, first." Now Avalon and Antares looked distrustful, trading a look: more than once they had done something for Meadowlark, and instead of anything useful, they just got wild gossip and made-up stories, like when she told them Ross and Cowlick were breaking up or the Friendship Express had been attacked by Diamond Dog thugs or there was a giant monster in the Everfree Forest. Or how she'd once said that Twilight was Antares' real mother because Scrivener had cheated on Luna with her, but then Antares was born, and that was why the were all stuck together now. It wasn't that Meadowlark meant to be mean: it was more that she didn't like to do things herself and her mother allowed her to spend most of her free time watching soap operas and reading melodramatic romantic literature. She also didn't quite understand that the other foals didn't find her nearly as entertaining as she found herself and her own stories. She saw their look and huffed a bit, looking almost hurt as she rose a hoof and declared: "Honest this time, really! And all I want are... some of your mom's apple tarts, Avalon, and uh... oh, candy! Antares, your mom has like all the candy in Ponyville!" The foal traded looks, and then Meadowlark leaned forwards, fluttering her eyes as Rustproof burbled and bounced, and she added in a whine: "And don't I deserve something for looking after Rusty all the time too? You two never do it!" "You're the oldest, you're the one who wanted to be responsible... and besides, it's not like we really have to worry about him." Avalon demonstrated by picking up a plastic block and throwing it at Rustproof, and it bounced off the baby's head even as Meadowlark winced, but the toddler only looked inquisitively at the sunshine-colored Pegasus. "He's all poo-brain." "He's not poo-brain, don't be mean." Antares said defensively, and Avalon gave him an amused look. "Well, it's true. Besides, you're the same way." "You hit me with a block and I'll hit you back." threatened Avalon, and then she shook her head, buzzing back into the air and zooming moodily around Antares' head, a golden-yellow bullet that was half the size of the unicorn colt. "But he like. Almost never talks, just stares at everything, it's creepy." "He plays with us plenty!" Antares argued, and then he looked up as Meadowlark cleared her throat loudly and squeezed Rustproof's sides, making him giggle a little. "You guys can argue about that while you get me that stuff. And then I'll tell you all the stuff you're supposed to know about your own parents but don't." Meadowlark smiled over at them supremely as she sat back, and Rustproof burbled a little in her grip. "Got it?" Avalon and Antares traded looks, and then they both sighed and nodded, Avalon turning to buzz through a window and Antares following after, leaping out and spreading his own wings, figuring that finding some candy wouldn't be too hard. It ended up being far more difficult than planned: for one thing, his wings started to ache long before he reached Ponyville from Sweet Apple Acres, and he became very conscious of the fact that if anypony he knew caught him sneaking away from the farm he'd be in trouble. Thus, the foal lost his nerve long before he got to town, and ended up turning around and running quickly back... before his eyes settled instead on Fluttershy's cottage, and he trotted quickly over to this, raising a hoof to knock. Then he remembered that he had seen her that morning, so instead he'd leapt up, fluttering up in front of the window and peering inside through the glass. He leaned forwards against the door... then blinked when it swung open, staring into the cottage with surprise: Fluttershy must have been in a rush and forgotten to lock it. Antares dropped back to the ground, then wandered inside, looking back and forth as he called hesitantly: "Hello? It's me, Antares... is anypony here?" There was no answer, and Antares shrugged a bit as he wandered deeper into the house, stepping into the den... and staring at the large bowl of candy sitting on the coffee table. For a few moments, he only looked at it... then he hurried over and grabbed up a few pieces before stopping and looking down nervously, wondering aloud: "Isn't this... s-stealing? Isn't this wrong?" But he was curious... and he realized he was also hungry, as he looked down into the candy bowl. But Fluttershy was also his friend... and Antares sighed before he grumbled and dropped the candies back in the bowl, mumbling to himself before he looked down with a wince to see a mint stuck to his hoof. He sighed, then rolled his eyes and licked it off, chewing it moodily with his sharp, strong teeth before he turned around and hurried back to the doorway. He began to let himself out, and then a rumble came from behind him, and the foal halted before he looked slowly over his shoulder... but he only sighed in relief at the sight of a Phooka he recognized as Nirvana. "Hi Nirvana! The door was unlocked... is Fluttershy still gone?" Nirvana nodded, then studied Antares, who blushed a bit before the foal said awkwardly: "Sorry, I helped myself to a mint. I... I didn't mean to steal anything, though, or..." Nirvana only rumbled and rolled his eldritch fire eyes, and then he turned and vanished into the den. Antares stood awkwardly for a moment... but then he smiled when Nirvana returned with the candy bowl, offering it to the foal, and he gladly grabbed a few pieces, saying quietly: "Thank you so much. Meadowlark wanted some too, and... well..." The Phooka only grunted, then it looked up and locked its eyes with Antares, and the foal felt a distinct rumble run through his mind like the trampling of countless tiny hooves before the Phooka's voice said softly inside Antares' head: Honor is a concept forgotten by you ponies. But I suppose... some of you seem to be remembering. "What do you know about honor, Nirvana?" Antares asked curiously, leaning forwards, and the Phooka looked at him meditatively for a moment before it sighed and put the bowl down, leaning forwards before its eyes locked with the colt's again, and this time flashed brightly. Antares reared back in surprise as images spilled through his mind, of enormous forests, packs of playing and laughing Phooka, of a world on fire... of ponies, worshiping Phooka, and then becoming equals and friends with Phooka... and then murdering them with chains and wire and flame and magic. Of enormous temples, of stone statues of Phooka carrying foals proudly and that told stories of both honorable tests and friendly mischief, of desecrated statues that depicted the Phooka as beasts, because they were creatures of nature that lived happily in the wilds, because they scavenged off what nature had already claimed instead of pointlessly adding to slaughter and death... Antares closed his eyes, breathing hard, startled but... understanding, before Nirvana said in a rough, quiet voice: "When they first found us, we were as gods to them. When we asked them to stand beside us, we were friends. When they began to build their sand castle societies, we became monsters they could rally against." The colt was quiet, looking up at Nirvana, and the Phooka studied him for a few moments before he said softly: "But perhaps there is hope to be friends again. There are good ponies here. Your mother knows honor: she bound us to her, but released the binding on my kind long ago. We live beside and aid you ponies because we want to. That is all." Antares smiled a little more at this, and then he asked finally: "What... I mean... you and Fluttershy..." Nirvana rumbled at him moodily, seeming to tense up a bit, and Antares hesitated as he studied the Phooka before he instead asked curiously: "Why do all the Phooka look up to Fluttershy so much?" The Phooka relaxed again after a moment, and then he shook his head, replying in his almost-growling but soft voice: "She teaches us. She cares for us. She is pony, but she smells of nature. She... understands, but is wiser than us, and... leads us. We look at her as what you would call... 'leader,' or 'alpha.' Her strength is more valuable than tooth and claw." The colt smiled a little at this, nodding again thoughtfully before he looked up, but Nirvana only rumbled and turned, heading back inside. So the foal only cleared his throat, then finally nodded awkwardly, swept up the candy, and hurried outside to leap into the air and fly quickly back to Sweet Apple Acres, wincing a bit as pain radiated through his back, but pushing himself a little to get a good distance through the field before dropping down and hurrying forwards with the load of candy. When he finally returned to the treehouse, he found Avalon was already there, and Meadowlark was happily gobbling down apple tarts, spilling crumbs all over Rustproof as the toddler ignored them to happily play with the old pony toy Meadowlark had given him. Avalon was hovering with her forelegs crossed, looking grouchy before Meadowlark trilled cheerily when Antares tossed her the candies, and she sang warmly: "Excellent! Storytime, everypony!" Avalon still looked less than thrilled, and Antares made a face, wondering if he'd made a mistake or not before Meadowlark grinned over at Avalon, saying cheerfully: "I heard from a reliable source that Rainbow Dash was once a mare, and that's why he doesn't have a lot of friends outside Ponyville, because one day she woke up and poof, she was a big stallion instead of a little mare." "What? That's impossible!" Avalon glared down at Meadowlark, who only giggled and looked up with a wink at the tiny Pegasus even as she shot down and buzzed around her angrily, looking like a living fireball with her almost-glowing coat and streaked red and yellow mane. "You take that back!" "Can't take back the truth!" Meadowlark replied in a singsong, and then she leaned back, half-using Rustproof as a shield when Avalon swung at her threateningly. "Careful now, don't wanna hurt the baby, or Cowlick and Applejack will be all over you... and your other mom, Rainbow, too!" "Stop it!" Avalon shouted, and Rustproof whimpered as he looked up, but Avalon only snorted and then shot backwards, muttering: "You're a liar. Big fat liar. That's not true." "Oh yeah? And Scrivener's dad was born as a slave in the far north." Meadowlark added seriously, and Antares looked up sharply, staring in disbelief. "His parents were unicorns and they made him clean up around their... I guess they must have had a giant home, but they kept him in the dungeon. And one day he was finally rescued by another unicorn because he wrote all these stories and letters and stuff and kept sending them out, hoping someone would find him, and eventually they did and that was how he got out." Antares looked disbelieving, and then Avalon scoffed and shook her head, saying sharply: "Don't believe her, she's just... making up stories again! Come on, let's get out of here." "No I'm not, I'm really not this time, I know because my mom talked with the other doctors in town about it!" Meadowlark proclaimed, and Avalon halted in the window, glaring over her shoulder but looking almost scared now before Meadowlark declared: "And that means that maybe one day, Avalon, you're going to turn into a boy too!" Avalon shouted something angrily at Meadowlark, then turned and bolted out the window, Antares wincing and hurrying after her as Meadowlark whined: "Hey, don't leave me here with Rusty, guys! I just told you what I heard!" Antares glided smoothly to the field, but Avalon was already buzzing rapidly in the direction of the house, a streak of golden light through the air. Antares began to run forwards, even though he knew there was no way he could hope to catch up... but he knew he could at least follow her until she tired out, and hope that was sooner instead of later. Instead, as he drew close to the house, he heard the sound of shattering glass and he winced, bolting forwards as a yell went up from the house. And less than a minute later, a rainbow-colored blur shot through the sky as Applejack ran out onto the porch, Antares calling worriedly as he approached: "What happened?" "Avalon ran through a window, god, the speed she must've been going at... I... what happened, Antares, why was she so upset?" Applejack asked sharply, and the colt winced before he looked quickly over her as the goldenrod mare hurried close, saying quickly: "Antares, listen, I ain't gonna be mad at you but I need to know, that's my little girl, and your friend!" Antares swallowed thickly, looking over her worriedly... and then he said finally, instinctively: "She was told that Rainbow Dash was... was a..." "Oh hell." Applejack groaned, throwing her head back before she clenched her eyes shut and nodded, then she bowed down and said quickly: "Come on, we're gonna go to the clinic and hope to Heaven we get there quick. Been a long time since I done a race but I think I still remember how it goes." The colt didn't argue, hopping up onto Applejack's back before she pawed a hoof at the grass, then shot forwards into a sprint, the colt almost knocked flying from the sudden speed they took off at as he clung down to her and stared in amazement. Applejack, meanwhile, muttered: "Swear to Helheim I'll divorce Rainbow if he lets this get to him too much... but I'm more worried about who... no, it was Meadowlark, wasn't it? No, don't even bother, already know the answer. Of course it was that damn little brat Meadowlark." Antares winced and shrank a bit, and Applejack gritted her teeth before she said finally: "I'm sorry, Antares, I'm just... mad as hell now. Not at you, certainly not at Ava, maybe not even that much at Meadowlark, but at Ameliorate and Engelhart. And that stuff about Rainbow... it's... it's true and it's not. I believe that he was always a he, but he just got stuck in the wrong damn body when he was born, you understand?" Antares nodded a few times, half-understanding but knowing for now it was better to just agree with the adult as the world zipped by, Antares starting to feel a little awed at how fast Applejack could move when she wanted to: suddenly, he understood why even when on the ground, Avalon could dart around at a surprisingly-quick speed. "That stuff, though, ain't just... sensitive... it was something Rainbow wanted to tell Avalon himself one day when she was ready. Avalon's excitable, like you know, and Avalon thinks the world, the absolute world of her father. Hearing that stuff is gonna throw anypony for a loop. Feeling like you been lied to... that'll throw anypony for a loop, too." Antares silently nodded, pressing down against Applejack as she shot past the surprised Nibelung guards and into town, and she ducked and weaved back and forth easily around ponies and other figures, darting hurriedly through the town towards the clinic where Scarlet Sage worked. But no sooner had they arrived than Rainbow Dash charged out, looking furious as he leapt into the air and shot to the sky in a rainbow blur, and Applejack groaned as she skidded around in a half-circle with a groan. "Oh dammit!" "Got it!" shouted a familiar voice, and Applejack looked up in relief and surprise as Scrivener and Luna ran out of the clinic, the charcoal earth pony charging through the street as Luna took to the skies and flew quickly after Rainbow Dash. Scrivener wasn't as fast or as agile as Applejack... but on the other hoof, he was also much larger, and Antares couldn't help but gape when Scrivener simply dropped his shoulder when he realized he couldn't dodge around a pile of hay bales in his way, smashing through them to the shock of the ponies around him and calling an awkward apology as he shot onwards. Applejack sighed and shook her head, turning to hurry into the clinic with Antares still on her back as she muttered: "At least I can trust those two to make sure that Rainbow Dash doesn't do anything too stupid... and more importantly, to let him be just stupid enough." Rainbow had a good head start: that, combined with how fast he was, meant that Scrivener and Luna didn't catch up to the Pegasus until he had smashed into the door of Engelhart's house, which still bore several badly-repaired scars from the damages Luna had done to it during one of her own rages at Meadowlark's parents. The Pegasus almost succeeded in kicking the reinforced door off its hinges before he dropped back and landed, preparing to charge... but Engelhart threw the door open before staring incredulously, and Rainbow leaned forwards and shouted angrily: "What the hell did you and your stupid wife tell your damn daughter about me? She upset Avalon!" "Meadowlark is a little angel and we didn't tell her anything that isn't in the public record!" retorted Engelhart immediately, glaring at Rainbow Dash before he snapped: "How dare you try and break into my house-" "How dare I? How dare you tell your damn daughter about what I went through... except no, you didn't, you said I just 'magically poofed' into a guy like I was... diseased or something!" Rainbow replied angrily, stepping forwards and snarling, and Engelhart growled as he leaned forwards, the two Pegasus stallions glaring at each other, wings shivering and bodies flexing. "Your daughter is a little loudmouth, but worse, you two keep telling her everyone's business; you like her running around, upsetting ponies?" "You got no right to come here and criticize my family!" Engelhart defended angrily, and then he leaned forwards and shoved Rainbow hard, snapping: "Get out of here, or I'll show you what a real stallion can do!" "Real stallion? I am a real stallion! I'm more a stallion than you'll ever be!" Rainbow snarled, and Engelhart glared at him furiously. Then Engelhart leaned forwards and replied rudely: "You raise your kid your way, I'll raise my kid my way. Meadowlark's growing up like a normal little girl. You're the one with the kid who already seems to be taking after her 'daddy,' transvestite!" "I'm not a transvestite, you goddamn idiot." Rainbow leaned forwards... and then he gritted his teeth and looked over his shoulder when Luna dropped to the ground behind him and looked at him imploringly, and the pale-blue Pegasus shook himself out violently before he glared at Engelhart. "Stay away from me." Engelhart snorted, then, as Rainbow began to turn away, he said nastily: "Gladly, I think I'd rather hang out with real parents instead of you and all your freakish friends. What, there's you and Applejack, the one who's sleeping with the Phooka, the polygamist, the dragon-layer, and-" Rainbow spun around, then tackled Engelhart backwards, and Scrivener winced as he started forwards to stop the scuffle... but Luna held up a hoof, glowering moodily at the fighting Pegasi as Luna said distastefully: "No, they have both done plenty to merit this chance." Engelhart managed to roll backwards and get Rainbow in a headlock as he sat behind him, almost hugging the pale-blue stallion's head against his body, and Rainbow gargled before he braced his rear hooves against the ground and shoved backwards. It knocked them both flat and tore Rainbow free, and he hurriedly rolled back to his hooves as Engelhart climbed to his own and lunged forwards: instead of hitting Rainbow, however, he only tackled thin air as the pale-blue Pegasus gracefully vaulted skywards before spinning around and crashing down on Engelhart's back, shoving him down by the back of the skull to smash his face into the dirt road. Rainbow leapt smoothly backwards as Engelhart wheezed in stupefied agony, laying with his lower legs bowed and trembling and buttocks awkwardly raised high in the air, his face half-buried into the street, and then Rainbow stepped forwards seizing him firmly by either flank before slamming the knee of his rear leg savagely up between Engelhart's legs, and the Pegasus Guard gave a weak, girlish squeak, dropping on his side and clutching at himself as he shivered violently before Rainbow asked disgustedly: "Who's the mare now, huh?" Engelhart whimpered, tears in his eyes as he shivered on his side, and then Rainbow rose a hoof... but then only slowly lowered it and shook his head, muttering: "You're not worth it." With that, he turned and moodily walked over to Luna and Scrivener, nodding to them once before Luna smiled and reached out to touch his shoulder, saying quietly: "How does thou feel now?" "Better. A little better. But... still. Doesn't... help as much as I'd hoped it would." Rainbow paused, then looked grumpily over his shoulder at where Engelhart was still writhing on the ground in misery, holding himself and shivering weakly. "Maybe I should go hit him some more." "Come on. Let's go see to your daughter. What happened to her?" Scrivener asked quietly, and Rainbow sighed and shrugged as he hopped into the air, flapping his wings slowly to propel himself languidly along between Luna and Scrivener as he bowed his head forwards quietly. "Meadowlark told her about... me." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, Avalon... was upset. Poor kid had... I don't even know what she must have thought. That we were lying to her all these years? That I wasn't really her dad? Or maybe just anger and her hyperactivity mixed together and... you know. Anyway, she saw me in the house and just... shot at me, smashed right through a closed window... but you know, glass doesn't break as easy as it does in the movies and she's... she's so little..." He looked down silently, shaking his head slowly. "Cut herself all to hell, her wings were flayed, just... I... I feel so goddamn awful. I should have told her the truth earlier." "She's five years old. Five years old and prone to fits of hyperactivity and aggression." Scrivener said softly, as Luna nodded reassuringly at the Pegasus. "You're an enviable father. We talked about this before, a long time ago... sometimes stuff just happens out of your control, and you just gotta deal with it." "Yeah. Yeah." Rainbow Dash sighed and looked down quietly, and then he closed his eyes, murmuring as he almost floated gloomily along: "I just know that... for the next while, I'm going to be there beside Avalon no matter what else happens. I love her so damn much. She's... my whole world." Scrivener smiled faintly at this as Luna nodded slowly in agreement and understanding, trading a silent look with her husband as the three parents continued onwards, heading back to check on Rainbow Dash's daughter... his miracle, and his reason to keep living no matter what else happened on the long road ahead. Category:Transcript Category:Story